Search underway after Boeing 737 cargo plane goes missing off Pakistan coast

Search underway after a Boeing 737 cargo plane goes missing off the Pakistan coast focuses on an emergency response launched after the aircraft lost contact with air traffic control. Pakistan aviation authorities said the K2 Airways Boeing 737 cargo aircraft, carrying five crew members, went missing late Tuesday off the coast near Karachi. The plane had departed Sharjah International Airport in the UAE for Jinnah International Airport in Karachi when it reported a navigational system issue and was guided by Karachi Area Control Center, according to the Pakistan Airports Authority. Radar showed a rapid descent and heading change before communication and radar contact were lost west of Karachi. The Rescue Coordination Centre activated coordinated sea search and rescue through multiple agencies. K2 Airways identified the five crew and said it was cooperating with Pakistani authorities. Data cited by Flightradar24 indicated a last received altitude of about 1,100 feet, descending at 22,400 feet per minute, after which it disappeared.